Shoplift Suspect Dies In Confrontation With Walmart Employees

A shoplift suspect died Sunday after a confrontation with two Walmart employees and a contract security guard in the store's parking lot.

Shoplift Suspect Dies In Confrontation In Lithonia, Ga

Police said the man stole two DVD players from a Walmart in Lithonia, southeast of Atlanta, Georgia, before he walked out the front door and was apprehended by the workers in the parking area.

When police arrived at the scene, they found the three workers on top of the man. Police said the middle-aged man was unresponsive and bleeding from his mouth and nose when he was handcuffed.

The man was taken to a local hospital, where he was declared dead.

Walmart spokeswoman Dianna Gee said the two store associates have been suspended with pay pending the outcome of the investigation and the security officer, who the initial investigation indicated put a choke hold on the suspect, will no longer work for Walmart, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

"No amount of merchandise is worth someone's life," Gee said in a statement. "Associates are trained to disengage from situations that would put themselves or others at risk."

"That being said, this is still an active investigation and we're working with police to provide any assistance," Gee added.